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55 to 59 chevy truck owners

935K views 3K replies 212 participants last post by  DOUBLEDICK 
#1 · (Edited)
My name is Richard Johnson and I am building my second Apache truck.I drive this truck every day and am doing everything I can to make it a pleasure to drive and still be a good work truck.I like modern drive trains and stock body and interiors.I am looking for other guys that have and drive these trucks to talk to and share Ideas and designs for custom made parts with.I have sent private messages to a few people on this board and only one person responded.At his request I sent him pictures of my custom sway bar mounts so he could make some for his truck.Without sway-bars these trucks are no fun to drive.I am curious to see what others have done and share ideas.
 

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#602 ·
dmaggard said:
I would think with the gas tank removed, some comfortable seats that fit, tilt steering, and maybe modify the brake pedal... you should fit in a 55-59 comfortably. The suspension thing is a loaded question. There are many ways you can go there and you can spend whatever you want. I would guess your looking at a minimum of 1500 to 2000 to lower your truck properly and keep or upgrade your ride. Just from my experience. I'm sure there are others that can give you more info. Try the search option in the bulletin board and you'll probably find what your looking for. I just dropped mine about 4 or 5 inches from stock with a drop axle and lowering springs. If you go more than that you need to look at the IFS front suspension. Put bags on that and you can park it and lay it on the ground, but.. you won't be doing it for 1500 bucks.

DD aint got no time for no stinkin journal......

Dave
i searched the board and didnt find the exact info i needed. Do you know any sites or people on this board i could search through their journals?

When you say $1500-$2000 to lower the truck, how much more could an air bag setup or an extremely low setup cost?

Would it matter if i could fab and install the items myself?
if i end up purchasing the truck i was going to make a 3 model of the chassis and based on some pictures and info., engineer the parts to get the truck low how i want it.
I'm trying to use some of the mechanical engineering training i have to use.
 
#603 · (Edited)
Sounds like you need to decide what suspension you want to go with and do some pricing. CPP has everything you need to do what you want to do. The end price of a project like your talking about is going to be determined by the parts you buy... who installs them... etc. etc. I don't think anyone is going to be able to tell you an exact dollar amount to accomplish what you are wanting to do. Your probably going to have to decide what you want to do and price it out yourself. Check out http://www.classicperform.com/ . You'll find everything your looking for and then some. You may want to price the parts you'll need with another company or two. It's a place to start. One thing I've always found to run true... no matter what you estimate a project is going to cost.... it'll end up costing more.

Dave
 
#606 ·
Riot, i have just installed a mustang 2 suspension in my truck. its not fully finished yet but here is what i have into it so far. $327 for the crossmember, $248 for the narrowed tubular controle arms, $376 for the 11" brakes and 2" drop spindles, $50 for the steel to box in the frame(total of $1001). there is going to be more money spent for power rack and air bags. now.... with air ride you will have to spend about 800-1600 for the air ride system but you have full contole over how high you truck sits. with the air ride on the mustang 2 ifs you have somewhere around 11-13 inches of lift. if you have any questions for me or need some pictures you can email me at Scrap1661@comcast.net
 
#607 · (Edited)
So frame is now 95% painted a pic of it is in my journal. I also finished replacing all the shackles and pins for the leaf springs.

I am going to replace my gas tank out of the cab. I would like to reuse the tank if possible. I took some pics of the possible locations I could mount it. The first four pics are on the passengers side under the cab. The last three pics are on the drivers side under the bed. The pics just show the space not the actual way the tank would be mounted. My concerns are mounting the tank under the cab....kaboom and the other is how close to a drive shaft can I go.











http://hotrodders.com/gallery/data/500/medium/Copy_of_GT_2b.JPG



So tell me your thoughts. Now I will probably go with big and little tires so I won't carry a spare under the truck. (But Would like too.) So I could mount a tank under the frame, but I want to be able to fill the tank for the side or rear, not thru the bed.

edit...ok got the pics to work
 
#611 ·
JFK55BOY said:
I Have A 55 2nd Ser 3100 Big Back Truck Tore Down Right Now Trying To Figure Out The Best Way (cheapest Also) To Put Power Brakes In The Stock Location.
Welcome JFK :welcome:

I have the same year and model truck as you but mine is a long bed with the small window...so maybe it's not the same..lol. Any way I installed PS, PS, and disk up front. You can look thru my journal and see. I bought my PB and disk setup from CPP.

Welcome again and be sure and post some pics...cause we like pics! :thumbup:

Edit here is a pic of the PB set up I have

 
#612 ·
I used the power disk conversion from Brothers Trucks.The booster is not as big around as the one from ccp.When I get back home on Tuesdays I will post a picture for you.There is a picture on page 33 post #491 that shows the booster but I don't know if it is good enough for you to tell what size it is.
 
#613 ·
Thanks DD for sending me to this site. I have spent the past 2 hours reading from page 1 and have already learned alot this morning. Yesterday I was so fed up trying to pull the axles from my 12 bolt posi that I almost ran my '57 on Craigslist, but today I have new hope. All my books were talking about "C" clips holding the axles in place, seems mine has the "pressed on" type bearings, so all I need to do is rent an axle puller. I will post pics as soon as I figure out how, I'm not all that PC literate and all my kids are grown and gone so I cant get any help from them. I am going with the camaro subframe, 350 c.i. , B/W T-5 trans and the 3:23, 12 bolt posi combo. I have already patch paneled one lower cab corner, inner and outer but by no means am a bodyman, just learning as I go.
 
#614 ·
flyinv55 said:
Thanks DD for sending me to this site. I have spent the past 2 hours reading from page 1 and have already learned alot this morning. Yesterday I was so fed up trying to pull the axles from my 12 bolt posi that I almost ran my '57 on Craigslist, but today I have new hope. All my books were talking about "C" clips holding the axles in place, seems mine has the "pressed on" type bearings, so all I need to do is rent an axle puller. I will post pics as soon as I figure out how, I'm not all that PC literate and all my kids are grown and gone so I cant get any help from them. I am going with the camaro subframe, 350 c.i. , B/W T-5 trans and the 3:23, 12 bolt posi combo. I have already patch paneled one lower cab corner, inner and outer but by no means am a bodyman, just learning as I go.
Hey look everyone....flyinv55 is one of us!.....cool :thumbup: We like the learn as you go method on cars and computers.

Welcome,
James
 
#615 ·
Any one have thoughts on post 607...the possible gas tank locations? Good and bad. The location under the cab would allow the tank to be seen from the side of the truck. The location under the bed would put it close to the drive shaft. So I am not sure if either of these locations would work. Now the other thought is I want to run big and littles so I really wouldn't be able to carry a spare tire..due to which one would I carry, the big one or the little one? When the time comes for a road trip I would just toss a spare in the bed I guess.

Anyway let me now what you think..or if you know of a used tank that will fit let me know also please.
Thanks,
James
 
#617 · (Edited)
Gator that is the mounting bracket for the stock muffler.It is riveted to the frame,just grind off the rivet and punch it out and add it to the scrap pile.As for the spare use the big tire if you have a posi or a locker in the rear end,if you run an open differential it does not matter what size tire you run.As for the gas tank go custom,that stock tank will not work the way you want it too.Skip the under bed spare and put one of those after market tanks in and throw a spare in the bed for those long trips and a tire repair kit (the kind with the black sticky string you push in the hole twist and pull the handle out)and a electric compressor behind the seat for day to day piece of mind.You don't have to go through the bed for the filler neck,just go between the bed and the frame and put the filler neck in the wheel well and make some kind of sheet metal splash shield for it so the tire doesn't throw water and mud on it.
 
#618 ·
flyinv55 said:
Thanks DD for sending me to this site. I have spent the past 2 hours reading from page 1 and have already learned alot this morning. Yesterday I was so fed up trying to pull the axles from my 12 bolt posi that I almost ran my '57 on Craigslist, but today I have new hope. All my books were talking about "C" clips holding the axles in place, seems mine has the "pressed on" type bearings, so all I need to do is rent an axle puller. I will post pics as soon as I figure out how, I'm not all that PC literate and all my kids are grown and gone so I cant get any help from them. I am going with the camaro subframe, 350 c.i. , B/W T-5 trans and the 3:23, 12 bolt posi combo. I have already patch paneled one lower cab corner, inner and outer but by no means am a bodyman, just learning as I go.
To pull the axle when you have pressed on bearings I believe you still have to take off the c-clip in the differential then you use a length of chain and slide it on a stud and put the lug nut on.Then you use the chain like a whip and the snapping motion will pull the axle out.It has been 25 years since I pulled one of those axles.Thanks for posting.how about some pictures.We love those pictures.
 
#622 ·
DOUBLEDICK said:
Kim57 Wow that floor looks good.Gotor I think the gas tank will work fine in the position you have in the last picture.The only problem would be if you still want to shorten the frame for a short box.
I think the frame shorting is out for now. I'll just build the truck as is. I have my eye on another 55 and it is a short bed. If I get that one I will trick it out and sell it. I am liking the long bed more, cause you don't see many of them any more. As far as the tank I think I will try and make it work in the location you liked...that one seems safer and it tucks under the truck more. I'll make a shield for it like Kim said. I sent willys36 a pm to ask about his gas tank modifying and some pointers so I can do mine.

Kim that is some serious sheetmetal work there!
 
#623 ·
I pulled the motor from my truck. I need to pull the tranny also. Then I can finish painting the frame. I'll then paint the engine and the tranny. (pics are in my journal)

My wife bought a powder coating kit two years I messed around with it the other day...man it works great. I am going to powder coat some stuff on the engine and tranny when I get then clean. I'll post some pics when it happens.
 
#624 · (Edited)
The 58 ran great for the Valley of Fire cruise with Classics and Rods of southern Nevada.Here are a few pictures.Gator the Valley of Fire would be a good ride on those bikes when you are in Vegas.The turn off for the scenic loop is about 14 miles north on Interstate 15.IF you stay on the scenic route it will bring you into Henderson along the back side of the lake.It is about a 60 mile round trip.Take 6 bucks each for the entry fee,bring a picknic lunch and a few bottles of water there is so much to see:thumbup:
 

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